The US fashion group Ralph Lauren has developed a Cradle-to-Crade Gold-certified cashmere sweater that is part of five such Cradle-to-Crade-certified luxury products planned to be launched by 2025.
According to the company, the cashmere sweater was made to be “worn, loved and lived responsibly for generations to come”. Available through the company’s Purple Label men’s and women’s collections, it retails for $995.
The sweater has been woven from fine cashmere fibres, dyed in rich tones and finished with a redesigned organic cotton signature label. It was analyzed in a multi-stage certification process by the Cradle-to-Cradle Products Innovation Institute, which evaluates a product’s performance in five critical areas of sustainability: material health, circularity, air and climate protection, water and soil responsibility, and social fairness .
“The kind of luxury we stand for at Ralph Lauren has always had something to do with timelessness, authenticity and the good life. Today, more than ever, we believe that true luxury encompasses not only the beauty and quality of a product, but also the way it was made and how it will stand the test of time. That’s why we created the industry’s first Cradle to Cradle certified luxury cashmere product and plan to deliver four more verified ‘Icons’ by 2025,” said Katie Ioanilli, Chief Global Impact and Communications Officer, in a statement.
Cashmere recycling program with Re-Verso
As part of the Cradle to Cradle certification process, Ralph Lauren has also started its cashmere recycling program in partnership with Re-Verso. The program is initially available in North America, UK and Europe. It allows consumers to send their 100% cashmere items – no matter the brand – to Re-Verso in Prato, Italy, for recycling.
The company is promising a multimedia marketing campaign starring models Andreea Diaconu and Simon Nessman, which will be shared across Ralph Lauren’s social media channels and will include more information about the sweater, the recycling program and the company’s efforts to support a circular economy.